Karen Work Seleznow

Passed with beauty and grace on July 28, 2016 at her home in Scottsdale, AZ. She fought cancer creatively and heroically for nearly a year, and is survived by her husband, Steve; mother, Joan Work; her cherished dogs, Rocky and Boo, and father-in-law, Eugene Seleznow, all of Scottsdale, AZ; her brothers- and sisters-in-law, Marc and Jane Seleznow of Oakland, Calif., and Eric Seleznow and JoAnn McInnis of Washington, DC; her niece, Jen Seleznow, a graduate student at Yale University, and her nephew, Michael Seleznow, of Baltimore, MD. Karen, a life long fitness enthusiast, was a mentor, friend, adviser and leader to many, and a fierce advocate and volunteer for animal welfare, the arts, and the environment. She was founder and CEO of AXIS Communications, one of Washington, DC''s most prestigious brand strategy, design and marketing agencies serving Fortune 500 corporations, professional service firms and national non-profits where she won numerous awards for business strategy, creativity, and corporate philanthropy, including "Business Philanthropist of the Year" for three consecutive years, one of her proudest business achievements. After relocating to Arizona in May 2010, Karen semi-retired, and began work as a marketing consultant and community volunteer on the boards or board committees of organizations such as the Museum of Northern Arizona, the Whiteman Family Trust, Ballet Arizona, and The Arizona Humane Society, among others. Her design background fostered an "extreme appreciation" of the visual arts, including curating the art gallery at Arizona Community Foundation.